STEALING moments of passion in the cellar with wartime French cafe owner Rene has done wonders for Vicki Michelle's career - opening a door on myriad acting opportunities.

Her sexy waitress character, Yvette, remains a highlight of long-running BBC comedy Allo Allo, which continues to attract audiences around the world.

Since those steamy days, she has gone on to enjoy roles in musicals, films and the odd spot of panto for good measure which have proved an engaging experience.

She chatted to The Herald about life in the business and her latest venture, a new tour of marital comedy Don't Dress For Dinner, which calls at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking.

"The show has been really good," she says in her bubbly yet assured manner. "There are cases of mistaken identity and lots of twists and turns - it's a really good piece which is very well written. The audiences have loved it so far, we haven't had a bad critique yet, which is fantastic."

For Vicki, there is nothing quite like live theatre and, being surrounded by a creative family (her mother and sister Anne are actresses), she was never short of encouragement. Entertaining was "quite a natural thing for them". As a result, she attended drama school in London.

Her first big stage role came alongside cuddly Dudley Moore in a 70s Cambridge show, Play It Again, Sam, which went on to enjoy a West End stint.

"Dudley was lovely man, very unassuming. He has a reputation as a ladies' man but he had a shy side to him which is why all the women fell in love with him."

After that experience, she undertook a range of memorable roles in hit TV series, including Minder and The Professionals and as a guest on The Two Ronnies and Dick Emery.

But, of course, it was as the husky-voiced wayward waitress Yvette, which has proved her finest hour to date. Did she ever expect it would be that massive?

"You could never imagine that something was going to be so successful, but we knew it was funny and brilliantly cast. All the characters worked.

"Much of it was shot during winter time, which was pretty tough, but it offered many weird and wonderful moments.

"I remember once we were sat there with the boys dressed as women and the women as men and all had moustaches and were talking as if it were totally normal. But it was totally bizarre."

She still keeps in touch with them, including Gordon Kaye (Rene), whom she says has great comic timing and inventiveness which made the show.

The recent loss of his long-suffering TV wife Edith (Carmen Silvera) to cancer had affected them all, and she described her as a "fantastic actress".

As for her own career, Allo Allo saw her gain sex symbol status, how has she coped with this?

"It was the character which started that. But in the UK if you are an attractive actress they put you in those roles.

"I have had to deal with that, and the older you get the more seriously they take you. I loved being in Allo Allo and I do not regret it."

A recent highlight for Vicki was a stage performance as Miss Hannigan in Annie at Lincoln, which she said proved a very different piece of acting from her usual roles.

And then, of course, there is panto, confessing that she likes to "play the baddie" having taken on parts such as the wicked queen in Snow White.

Does she ever take any of her parts home with her?

"I try not to do that, but sometimes if I am playing a bitchy role I can hear myself at home going grrrrr, which is not me at all."

Admitting she does not have any specific philosophy, she is the "eternal optimist" in trying to see positive things out of every situation which presents itself.

Her director husband Graham and daughter Louise offer huge support which she could not do without, and she felt it was sad how some actors neglect families in favour of their careers.

"I have to be within two hours of our home (near Epping) so I can look after our daughter and get her to school. The most important thing to me is her stability.

"She is wonderful and the best thing that ever happened for me - she is a natural actress and has been fine about the work I do."

With good-natured modesty, she recalled that some of her past work may have been a bit "awful", but believes it is important to learn from everything you do.

Being a mother is a massive commitment in itself, but she still finds time for a range of charity work, yoga and swimming during what few spare hours there are.

Professionally, there are surely ambitions yet to be fulfilled?

"I would like to do some more TV and film work as I have done stage pieces for quite a while. But who knows, I am lucky to be acting when 90 percent of actors are out of work."

On the question of the task in hand, she adds: "It's one of the best shows I have been in and has a great cast.

"It is clever, and men seem to like it as much as women and can really relate to it.

"You will have a good night and go home thinking it was great - now there's a fine pitch if ever you heard one."

l Don't Dress For Dinner runs at Woking's New Victoria Theatre from July 28 to Saturday, August 2.